【a Demon Deal】

Meg killed someone in an alleyway and stuffed their body in a dumpster, so they had money for breakfast at a nice café. As dawn broke they strolled and chatted: about hell, being a demon, Meg's revenge plan and murder in all its forms.

"You know it sounds kinda cool, being a demon." Ava said. Early risers were only now beginning to walk the town: postmen and joggers.

"You actually want to be one of us?" Meg smirked.

"Sure. I mean, being human doesn't last forever."

"Well you're already well on your way. Keep up the psychic demon training and you're a shoo-in for hell."

"There's something so freeing about being damned." Ava bit her lip in contemplation "…hell's not that bad, right?"

"No, not at all." Meg smiled then pointed across the road. "Diner, look. I could go for a burger."

They entered by a glass shopfront, a little bell tinkled. They could smell freshly baked confectionary - an assortment of cakes were presented in a big glass stand. The place was near-full, old people and couples drinking coffee and reading newspapers. Forks scraped lightly over plates, hushed chatter and kitchen noises in the backroom. Meg leaned her forearms on the counter and ordered from the overhead Specials chalkboard. Ava hadn't eaten a good meal in over a month and her mouth was already salivating as she picked the full bacon and egg breakfast, complete with waffles and syrup. She was reminded of a simpler time long gone, breakfast at Grandma's.

They made their way to a free booth by the window-wall.

"God, this one's an ugly bitch." Meg caught her reflection. She turned her face, lifted her lips to inspect yellowed teeth. Combed fingers through wiry hair. "I blame you for this, by the way."

"Me?"

"I had to pick a body, and she was the only woman there. I can possess male bodies too, but call it a preference thing." Meg started flicking the hair, trying to get it neater. She was a sandy-haired woman who could be anywhere from her twenties to fifties, the drug use made it hard to tell. She was bone-thin. "No, this will not do. I'm gonna need a better body asap."

"At least give her the decency of a good meal. Seems like she needs it."

Meg stopped fussing to give a pointed look at the elderly churchgoers staring from the table over. They went back to their food.

Ava tucked her hair behind her ears "I mean, after a month in Cold Oak I also look like crap. We could both do with some sprucing up."

"I still can't believe dear old Dad let you out." Meg crossed her arms on the table. "Why don't you tell me what this big job of yours is?"

"I'm supposed to find Beelzebub and ask him to help us."

Meg stared at Ava for a full second before jumping to her feet and walking out.

"Hey!" Ava was startled but squeezed out after her. That bell tinkled and Ava managed to grab Meg's sleeve by the curb. "Wait-!"

"Let go!" Meg spun around and shook her head. Dog-walkers and cyclists stared but continued on their way. "You stupid bitch. Beelzebub is a white-eyed demon."

"So I heard. You know him?"

Meg was still shaking her head "No. He broke out of hell before my time, but I know of him. There's stories, legends. Just like Lilith, Samhain and the princes of hell. He's a celebrity. No other demon would try to get close to Beelzebub. Not even Azazel, which is why he sent you."

Ava was surprised to see such genuine fear in the demon's face and posture "Your Dad said I might fascinate him?"

"Sure, like a new thing to dissect. He might poke through your insides to see how all that demon blood works." Meg shrugged, arms falling against her sides. "You're not all that special, Ava. You're just one among dozens of psychic kids all killing each other, vying for the top spot in Hell's army. I'm out of here."

"Wait." Ava raised her hand and the demon slowly looked back. "I'm really friggin hungry. So let's sit back in that diner and figure this out, or I can make you come along by force."

Meg turned fully around at that "you think you can control me?"

"Oh I know I can. Headache's gone, feeling all good again and this time you're right in front of me."

"Give it a shot." Meg said over her teeth. "I'll kill you before you so much as touch your forehead. And even if you could control me, I'll kill you the second I'm free. Or… the second your concentration slips."

"Fine. Then how about I make it worth your while." Ava said and Meg twisted her head. "That revenge plan of yours: possess Sam and make Dean think he's a monster, force Dean to kill his own brother then take him out too. Sounds fun. Too bad you don't know where Sam is."

"And you do?"

"I got his number. You could use it to track him down."

Meg stared off and considered before looking back "I don't know why you think I might be able to help with this. I am way beneath Beelzebub's pay grade."

"You're a demon. You got the know-how." Ava glanced back then stuck her thumb over her shoulder. "I think our food's ready. What do you say?"

"This is not going to go well." Meg shook her head but this time she was grinning. She walked back to the diner and Ava followed "Alright, Suicide Sally. First thing we got to look for are omens. Even if he's laying low, Beelzebub's bound to have a trail somewhere."

The little bell's tinkling rang in Ava's ear.

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Jo stood by the barbed-wire fence with a look of shock and disbelief. She was frozen, staring at the grizzly scene in the paddock before her. Three big Hereford cows lay dead and gutted, their insides spilled out and attracting flies. The stench was foul under the midday sun. Sitting by the bodies was a goat with big, curved horns. It wasn't moving but it breathed very quickly, its tummy stretching and shrinking with the rapid breaths. Blood was on its hooves, mouth and some cow guts were on its horns. It stared at Jo with empty, animal eyes. Sitting and huffing those breaths.

The blonde hunter backed away and got back in her Jeep. She fired up the engine and drove. Once she was far enough from the animal she pulled up at a road stop and dug out her mobile. She rang the county jail number and they left her on hold until the man she wanted to speak to was available.

"Gordon, hey. It's Jo."

"Well word travels fast. I barely been in here a week." The African-American hunter said back, she pictured him standing by the phone in a concrete corridor, suited up in the prison uniform.

"Hunters have been talking. You shouldn't have done that to Sam."

"If you called to tell me-"

"I didn't. Look, I'm working a case."

"A case?" There was a surprised pause. "Alone?"

"Yeah."

"Is that wise?"

"I get enough crap about this from Mom, I don't need it from you."

"That's because this is serious business." Gordon's tone was harsh. "You're not ready to be hunting on your own. You don't have the experience."

"This is just investigation. I'm not running out, gun-toting tryin to smoke the damn thing."

"What is it?"

"I don't know yet." Jo heard him pause over the line. He took a breath and she felt anger clawing up inside her. "Don't act all concerned for me. I distinctly remember you using me as bait when I was sixteen, remember?"

"That was different. I was there and nothing was gonna happen to you. But your Mommy came along and split us up. Maybe I should let her know what you're up to."

"Don't bother. I left the Roadhouse, I'm a free girl now."

"...Jo." His voice was softer now.

"I called because I want advice. So are you gonna help me or not?" The seconds ticked on by and she waited for Gordon to make his mind up.

"Alright, talk to me."

Jo opened the glove compartment and pulled out her notes, papers and map. She listed the bizarre accidents and illnesses that spanned the affected region, as well as what she'd seen.

"I got about five minutes, Jo. Someone else needs the phone."

"You got any idea what this could be? I've never seen the signs stretched so far like this." Jo turned the map, looking at all the circles she'd penned.

"I mean, I got no idea." He said honestly. "It doesn't sound like something solitary that's moving, it's tied to the area. But even a horde of creatures wouldn't be this spread out."

"I saw maggots in the bellies of those dead cows just before. Whatever this is, it's the same thing."

"Whatever it is, it's beyond your level of experience. You should go home, Jo."

"No way. I'm not passing this on until I have more."

"Dammit, Jo..." He exhaled into the line. "When you checked out the tractor that killed Mr Whitman did you find a hex bag?"

"No, but I didn't have time to check the compartments. His whole family was ten yards away in the house and they had a big window-view of my car, just waiting for me to drive off. You think it's witches?"

"It would explain some of what you've told me. Look I gotta go, but I'll think on it. Stay in touch, and be careful. You got me, Jo?"

"Will do." After that she snapped her flip-top shut and gazed at the tree-tops of a grove. She thought about what Gordon said before firing up the Jeep and hitting the road once more.

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